When Darkness Falls, Love Shines Brightest
by bluester007
Summary: Isabel escaped from prison, and Vikram has resurfaced. What will happen in the showdown between the deranged Kabra parents, and their children, along with the Cahill family? Amian, of course, with a little Cahill action. Rated T for violence, slight dark themes, and romance (just to be safe).
1. Save Me

**Summary: Isabel escaped from prison, and Vikram has resurfaced. What will happen in the showdown between the deranged Kabra parents, and their children, along with the Cahill family? Amian, of course, with a little Cahill action.**

**Note: I'm going to pretend the Vespers never existed for this story.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the 39 clues.**

* * *

**Prompt: Sacrifice.**

* * *

Isabel Kabra had escaped prison.

The news hit Ian and Natalie like a ten-ton brick wall, the report flashing across the television screen. Their mother was, in a word, evil. She'd tried to kill them, her own children, after ordering them to do horrific things to their family. True, at the time, they didn't have much care for their distant relatives. _Apart from a certain red-haired Cahill, _Ian thought, the now-familiar butterflies in his stomach raging once again. He found it strange how, in a time of complete terror, he thought of _her_.

"Ian?" Natalie whispered, her voice quivering.

Ian squeezed her hand. "Yes?"

The younger Kabra shuddered. "I'm sc-sc…" She trailed off. She didn't have to say it. Ian knew what she meant, because he felt it, too. He was scared. Although he was afraid of very few things, Isabel, his own mother, was right at the top of his list of horrors.

_How did she escape? Where was she now? And what would she do next?_ Out of the three questions, the third was more worrisome by far. Would she come for Ian and Natalie, her children who had turned against her? Or would she go after Amy and Dan Cahill, the brother and sister who, despite their 'orphan' status, won the hunt for the 39 clues, and were the only people who knew the ingredients to the _master serum_? Or worse, would she lay in hiding, waiting for them to be at their weakest before she struck?

Either way, their family had to be told. The news would devastate them all, but it was a price Ian was willing to pay. It was more important to warn them so they would be prepared, then to hold back the vital information to protect their feelings.

"Bickerduff," Ian called. The butler hurried in, his tailcoat chasing behind him.

"Yes, sir?"

"I need you to book two flights to Boston, then take our suitcases to our rooms," Ian ordered, his voice full of authority.

Bickerduff nodded. "When would you like to leave, Sir?"

"As soon as possible, Bickerduff. Please hurry."

The butler gave Ian a curt nod, then raced out of the room, calling orders to the Kabra's many staff who attended to their every need.

"Come, Natalie," Ian said softly, helping his sister up. "We have a plane to catch."

* * *

On his way to the airport, Ian had called Amy and told her they'd be arriving in Boston early the next day. Amy was to meet them at the airport, per her insistence, and drive them to Grace's mansion where they would stay as long as they required.

Seven hours later, after whisking through customs and baggage check in two different countries, Ian stepped onto the white-tiled floor, his eyes darting out the window to the line of taxis sitting idle out the front of the airport. The wheels on his suitcase clicked on the tiles as he dragged it along, Natalie following close behind.

He glanced around the large, empty entrance, looking through the thin crowds for one face in particular. In a matter of seconds, he spotted her flaming red hair. She was sitting on a bench, her face buried in a book, although Ian knew that she wasn't actually reading. Her eyes were still, staring at the same spot on her page, and Ian could practically hear the whirring of gears as thousands of thoughts flew though her head. She didn't notice him, even when he waved his free arm around like a lunatic. As he headed in her direction, Natalie stopped in her tracks.

"Ian," she said, fear clearly lacing her voice.

Ian turned to his sister and gave her a reassuring smile.

Her eyes watered. "What if she's here?"

Ian's heart nearly broke at the sight of his sister scared and crying. She had been trained since birth to hide all of her emotions. To be a ruthless Lucian. To live up to the Kabra legacy. It was the very person who taught her those things that reduced her to this state. Ian resisted the urge to hug her; he knew that would only embarrass her further.

Instead, he spoke with a soothing tone. "You're safe, Natalie. She can't hurt you. I won't let her."

Natalie ducked her head as a lone tear rolled down her cheek. She quickly wiped it away with her sleeve, pretending she was scratching an itch, then announced. "I need to go to the bathroom."

Ian took her suitcase and told her he'd be with Amy. She nodded silently and turned on her heel, walking in the opposite direction.

Ian sighed and walked over to Amy. When she didn't notice him, he coughed politely, causing her to jump, startled.

"Hello, love," Ian greeted, hiding the panic building in his chest and trying his best to look normal.

Amy stood, closing her book. "Don't call me that," she sighed, exasperated.

Ian smirked. With everything going on, you'd think the last thing on his mind would be Amy Cahill. But despite the situation, he tried his best to get under her skin, wanting to anger her. She was cute when she was angry.

_What? _He internally cringed. _Don't be ridiculous, Ian Kabra. The words 'Amy' and 'cute' do _not_ go well in the same sentence._

_Then why, _part of his brain asked, _do you think about her every passing minute, and dream about her?_

Ian smiled like he wasn't yelling at himself to shut up.

"So," Amy asked, "Where's Natalie?"

"In the bathroom."

Amy nodded and, after a pause, asked, "Why did you come? I mean, there must've been a reason."

Ian sighed and nodded. "There is. And you won't like it. But I'll wait until everyone can hear."

They stood in an awkward silence, staring off in different directions. Ian glanced down at his watch.

"She's been 15 minutes," he announced, trying to bite down the fear threatening to overcome him.

"I could go check on her?" Amy offered, and without waiting for an answer, walked in the direction of the bathrooms.

As she stepped into the small room, lingering with that 'public toilet smell' was another that sent shivers down Amy's spine. She immediately knew something was wrong. Very wrong. All of the stalls were open, and there was no one else there. As she glanced around the room, she spotted a silk scarf lying on the floor by the sink. She picked it up and read the label. _Louis Vuitton_. That could be only one person's.

Amy raced out of the bathroom and, pushing through the crowds, reached Ian in a matter of seconds.

She thrust the scarf out to him. "Is this hers?" she asked urgently.

Ian's eyes widened and he snatched the material from her hand. "Let's go," he said, his voice tight. "Now."

* * *

The ride back was full of tension and distress. No one said a word. Not even when Nellie greeted them at the door.

Amy typed a quick text to her family.

_Meet me in CCC. NOW!_

She ran the stairs, Ian close behind, and hurriedly punched in the access code to the Cahill Command Center. When she stepped in, everyone was already there.

"What's going on?" Dan asked.

"When did Ian get here?" Jonah said.

"It's two in the morning! Why'd you wake us up so early?" Sinead demanded.

Question after question was asked until Amy felt a headache coming on.

"SHUT IT!" she yelled. "Everyone, be quiet!"

Everyone stared at her in shock, not daring to make a sound.

"We have a big problem," Amy said. "Natalie's gone missing. We need to find who took her-"

"It was Isabel," Ian interrupted. "She escaped prison yesterday."

Again, silence fell. Ian could feel the fear radiating from his cousins. He didn't want to hurt them, but he continued to explain the entire situation, including Natalie's disappearance.

When he finished talking, a loud, shrill _DING _rang through the room. Sinead shot to her feet, grabbing the keyboard and typing in commands so fast that you could barely see her fingers.

"Vikram Kabra's been spotted in Boston, about 30 minutes from here," she announced.

Ian inhaled a sharp breath. "Of course. I should have expected this."

"But that's not all," Sinead said. "He was seen getting in a limo. Look at the person in the back seat." She enlarged a photo taken from the street security cameras. Through the open door, the face of his mother smirked viciously, staring directly into the camera like she knew they'd see this picture. Beside her sat a girl with long, dark hair and coffee-brown skin. Only Ian could tell she was scared out of her mind, trying to hold back her tears as Isabel pointed a gun at her side, shown only to the camera.

Ian sat down beside Sinead, pinching the bridge of his nose and leaning on the desk. "She wanted me to see this," he said. "All of it. Look."

He pointed to the phone in her hand. The screen showed that she was making a call.

"She wants us to find her."

Dan scratched his head. "How do we do that exactly?"

"We can find out who was using a phone in that area at the time this picture was taken, and trace it to wherever Natalie is. It's too easy, so it can only be a trap," Ian explained.

Dan nodded. "Good luck with that."

Amy shot him a warning look. _Don't be mean, Dan, _she told him with her eyes.

_Sure. Defend your boyfriend, _he said back.

_This isn't a joke! Do you want anything to happen to Natalie? To let Isabel get what she wants?_

"Okay!" he said, defeated. "I'm sorry! It's what I do, Amy!"

_For once, don't do it. We have to stop Isabel _and_ save Natalie, whether you like it or not._

Dan rolled his eyes. _She doesn't look like she needs saving. She's as calm as ever!_

_Could you be any more heartless? _Amy demanded.

Sinead sighed. "I hate it when you guys do that. It's creepy."

Hamilton gave her a weird look. "They're just glaring at each other."

"No we're not," Amy huffed. "Dan, leave now. Go for a walk outside. Maybe the cold will wake you up!" She pointed to the door. He sighed and walked out.

"Okay. We have work to do," Amy said. "Jonah, Hamilton, Ian, and I will be going in. Reagan and Madison, you're our backup. Sinead, Ned, and Ted, can you work the computers and comms? We need to find Isabel and Vikram, whether it's a trap or not. I'll make a few calls and gather a few Madrigal agents to help us." She turned to Ian. "Anything you'd like to add?"

Ian looked around. "Where's Ned?"

* * *

Dan was walking around the mansion, the cold morning air chilling him right to his core. He knew he'd been cruel. Almost Lucian-like. But that didn't stop him from being angry with his sister. She thought she could boss him around, make him do what she wanted him to do.

_News flash, Amy,_ he thought. _You're my sister, not my mom!_

Then he heard a sound. The trees rustled beside him and he heard the _SNAP _of a twig.

"Who's there?" he called. No one answered. "You better watch out! You don't want to mess with _this_ ninja!"

"How about an annoying Cahill who got in my way?" In an instant, a damp cloth was pressed to his mouth and nose, the toxic fumes irritating his eyes. He tried to hold his breath or at least take his attacker down. But then his vision went black and he fell to the ground. The last thing that went through his mind was that the person who'd spoken had been a woman. With a very familiar British accent.

_Isabel Kabra._

* * *

To Be Continued…


	2. Darkness Ensues

**The long-awaited chapter 2 :/ sorry it took so long...**

**Thanks again to WithPaperAndPen for being a great beta!**

* * *

"_Where's Ned?"_

The question repeated itself over and over again in Sinead's head as she frantically searched in every room on every floor for her brother. Why hadn't she noticed before? Everyone had been in that room. _Everyone_! Except her brother, who was prone to excruciating headaches at the least convenient of times. How had she missed him? She was supposed to take care of him, and she'd let him slide right out of her sight!

Sinead felt a tear trace down her cheek, and before she knew it, she was in a heap on the ground, sobbing into her knees.

_I'm sorry Ned! _She internally cried. _So, so sorry!_

"Sinead?" Hamilton asked, approaching her carefully.

Sinead looked up, her teeth furiously slamming down on one another like a dozen hammers. She was overcome by a sudden coldness, a chill seeping into her pores. It was like liquid nitrogen had been infused into her veins and was pumping around her body, freezing her from the inside.

"I c-c-can't find him," she said through her chattering teeth. "He's g-gone."

Hamilton watched her with sympathy, fighting the urge to wrap her in his arms. From his experience with crying girls – which wasn't a lot, since his sisters rarely shed a tear – he knew they liked to keep their space. _Or was that just Madison and Reagan? _He wondered.

"Come on, Sinead," he said with a soothing tone, offering her his hand. "We need to go to the Command Center. We need your help. We'll find Ned no matter what it takes."

She shut her eyes, pain pinching her face.

Hamilton tried again. "You can't save Ned by sitting around crying. Let's go find him."

She looked at his outstretched hand and, for a moment, looked like she wanted to tear it off his arm. Then she grasped it tightly and allowed Hamilton to pull her up.

Hamilton broke the news to everyone. There were a few gasps, and a couple of tears, but the worst reaction was Ted's. He simply sat with his back rigid, a stoic look in his eyes. He didn't make a sound, or make a move to comfort his sister. He was shocked into silence.

Amy sighed. "Ham, can you call Dan? Tell him to come back."

He nodded, picking up his phone and, after punching a few buttons, held it to his ear. After a moment, he frowned. "No answer."

Amy's eyes widened. "Keep trying!" She said. She ran down the stairs and out the front door, running a quick lap around the mansion, all the while calling out her brother's name.

As she reached the back side of the house, she heard the shrill ringing of Dan's ringtone. She followed the sound to the edge of the woods. There, under a light covering of dirt and mulch, lay the iPhone Nellie had given Dan for Christmas. Amy snatched the phone from the ground and answered it.

"Dan?" Hamilton asked.

"No. It's Amy. Dan's gone, too."

* * *

By the time Sinead and Ted had traced Isabel's phone, a heart-wrenching, overwhelming panic had taken over Ian's senses. His actions were clumsy. His thoughts were irrational. His words were harsh and came out of his mouth before he could think. It was a vicious cycle. Irrational thoughts lead to harsh words, which lead to clumsy actions. And it was driving everyone insane, especially Amy.

"Ian, calm down!" Amy hissed through clenched teeth.

"Calm down? Three of your family members have been kidnapped, Amy. _Three_. And I'm the only one who seems to be helping! All you're doing is standing around giving orders while _I_ think of a plan. So don't expect me to 'calm down'_._" His voice seemed to echo through the room, bouncing off the black walls. The sudden silence told Ian that everyone had stopped what they were doing and were now staring at him. He sighed, feeling his rage dissipate in a single breath. He hung his head, running a hand over his face, through his hair. He didn't want to look up, to see the hurt on Amy's face that would pierce his heart. He didn't know if he could handle that right now. But it was inevitable. He had to open his eyes, and when he did, he was surprised by her reaction. Although she looked unimpressed by his spell of rage, she was also sympathetic. She took a step towards him and gripped his arm.

"Ian, I know you're worried," she said softly, lowering her voice so only he could hear. "But you need to clear your head. And please stop shouting at me."

Ian nodded mutely. A warm tingle had spiked down the arm that Amy was holding. And despite everything that was happening, all his worries seemed to seep away until they were gone completely. When Amy removed her hand and stepped away, Ian felt the loss of her body heat and shivered.

"Alright. What have we got?" Amy asked the group of Cahills. "Sinead? Where are they?"

Sinead's fingers raced across the black keys as she spoke. "From what I can tell, it looks like a nightclub called the _Dark Angel_."

"I know where that is," Hamilton quipped. "We went there last week, remember?"

Amy blinked. "You were at a nightclub?"

Sinead scowled. "That's not important. What _is_ important is that Ned, Dan, and Natalie could be there right now."

Ian shook his head, frowning. "Isabel wouldn't be so careless. A nightclub is too conspicuous."

"I haven't finished," Sinead said. "From what I can gather, I'd say they're underground." She gestured towards the map on the screen and rested her finger under a blinking red dot. "She's been moving around the club, but I've seen her pass through a wall where I _know_ there's no door. Unless, of course, there's a Lucian base beneath it." She turned her keen gaze to Ian, who shrugged.

"No one knows where _every_ Lucian base is," he told them. "So it very well could be. But I'd say it's out of commission. Probably an old interrogation center."

Amy nodded. "We know where we're going, but we need a plan of action. Any ideas?" She gazed around the room, meeting the eyes of every person as she did so.

"We're up against Isabel and Vikram," Jonah pointed out. "Who knows what kind of security they've got."

"It's a trap," Ian reminded him. "Otherwise it wouldn't have been so easy."

"So wouldn't stealth be our best bet?" Jonah asked. "Ian, you know your parents. You know how to get around them. And Amy's probably the most experienced with… whatever it's called."

"Reconnaissance," Amy said immediately.

Jonah nodded. "Right. So if Ian and Amy go in alone, they'll be able to sneak up on Isabel and take her by surprise."

Hamilton frowned. "Isn't that dangerous, though?"

"Not if you have back up."

Amy ran over what Jonah said in her mind, and slowly, a plan started to formulate. In her head, she was making a list of what they'd need to take, when Ian shook his head vigorously.

"No," he said, staring right at Amy. "Absolutely not. It's far too dangerous. If anything goes wrong, then I should be the _only_ person there. Whatever Isabel wants, it's from me. I won't let you get hurt because my mother's a psychotic murderer."

"It's not up to you, Ian," Amy argued. "Dan's in there, too, and I'm going in there one way or another."

"You could _die_."

Amy laughed without humor. "Ian, listen to yourself. I've been in dangerous situations before. How's this any different?"

"Because there's more at stake!"

"Like what? Our lives? We're Cahills. There are risks we have to take. We all knew that when we signed up for the Clue Hunt. There's no turning back."

Ian stared at Amy, his mind reeling as he tried to think of something to say, a way to bite back and convince her to stay behind. But how could he tell her why he wanted her out of harm's way? How could he tell her that he needed to know she was safe, out of Isabel's reach? How could he say that Amy and Natalie were the only two people he loved, and if something happened to _both_ of them, he wouldn't be able to handle it?

_Wait. Did I just say I love Amy? _he asked himself. But then he realized there was no point denying it. If he were to die today, he should at least admit he had feelings for her. But he also knew that Amy had to go with him, despite his heart's protests. Because Amy was just like Ian when it came to their siblings; they would do whatever it took to keep them safe.

Ian sighed and nodded, but didn't say a word, afraid his voice would betray him. He couldn't help the feeling of dread that sat in the pit of his stomach. His instincts told him that something bad was going to happen, and he most certainly didn't want Amy there when it did.

"Okay," Amy's voice softened. "Let's get ready."

* * *

The plan was simple: infiltrate, attack, and retrieve. They were going in blind, with no clue what was waiting for them, but they had no other options. Despite their best efforts, Sinead and Ted couldn't find any other information apart from Isabel's location. And although it was better than what they'd started with, it would've helped to know a little more so they knew what to prepare for.

Ian and Amy sat in the back of the van, surrounded by half a dozen Cahills. Hamilton was behind the wheel, weaving through the midday Boston traffic, while Sinead stared intently at the monitors lining the walls of the van. There was very little space to breathe, let alone move; the three Holts and Jonah were stuffed in the front seat meant for two, and Sinead and Ted were crowded around the screens that took up almost all the van's space, which meant Amy was practically sitting on Ian's lap.

"Amy," Ian whispered, his mouth hovering beside her ear. "I need to tell you something."

Amy turned her head and met his eyes, gulping down the anxious lump in her throat. She'd been jittering with nerves since Natalie's disappearance, and having Ian's side pressed against hers didn't help to calm her racing heart.

"What is it?" she asked, peering at him curiously.

Ian heaved a heavy sigh and licked his lips as though preparing for a big, long speech.

"What we're about to do… anything could happen. We could succeed, and I bloody well hope we do. But we could also fail. And if anything happens to you-" his voice cracked, and he forced himself to swallow. "Amy, you need to know how I feel," he continued. "You need to know how I've felt for so long."

Amy stared at him, watching as his face glimmered with a hundred different expressions.

"Amy, I'm in love with you."

She sucked in a breath, her mouth falling open. She felt as though she'd tripped down a rabbit hole and wound up in Wonderland, where everything was so peculiar and backwards that she hardly knew what to do or say or even _feel_. But before she had the chance to put together her muddled thoughts, the van came to a screeching halt and the back doors flew open.

Jonah stood in the sunlight with a grim smile on his face. "We're here."

Amy forced herself to stand, and when her feet hit the pavement, her legs felt leaden. She had to force herself to think straight. She shook her head fiercely as though she could clear her mind like an etch-a-sketch.

"Okay," she said, but her voice came out as barely a whisper. She took a deep breath and tried again. "Okay, we all know what to do. Let's stick to the plan and get our siblings back."

There was a round of nods from within the van.

"Good luck," Sinead mumbled. "You're going to need it."

Amy nodded and turned to Ian, her heart flipping over like a pancake. She forced herself to focus on the task at hand, but when Ian held out his hand for hers, she could felt her pulse race.

"Ready?" Ian asked.

Amy gripped his hand. "Let's do this."


	3. Final Stand-off

**Thanks WithPaperAndPen for beta-reading!**

* * *

When they entered the club, it was like stepping into a freezer. A dark, eerie freezer. The cold air hit Amy like a slap in the face, and a streak of goose bumps followed a shiver down her spine. She glanced around the room, but could barely see right in front of her. Ian gave her hand a reassuring squeeze, and she was reminded of the Clue Hunt when she was stuck with Dan in the dark. The thought immediately filled her with a fierce determination to find her brother, and she dropped Ian's hand and started feeling the walls until she found a light switch. The room lit up, and Amy had to blink to adjust her eyes.

"Alright, Sinead. What're we looking for?" she asked.

_"It could be anything," _came the crackling reply in Amy's ear._ "A loose panel, and elevator shaft, a trap door. Look for something that doesn't seem right, and follow your gut."_

Amy nodded, then remembered Sinead couldn't see her. "Got it," she amended.

Silently, Ian and Amy went to opposite ends of the room to search. Amy walked towards the bar, gazing at the rows of liquor with a slight wrinkle in her nose. The bar was long and made of old, tarnished wood. There were ring marks from iced drinks and scratches from use on the top, and a row of a dozen stools stood on the side closest to Amy, nailed to the floor. She opened the small door and stepped up a level to where the bar tender would stand, and was suddenly overwhelmed by the arid smell of musty beer and rat droppings.

"_Gross_," she muttered under her breath, waving a hand under her nose. She glanced around, taking in the cluttered shelves and disorganised draws, the worn wooden planks under her feet and the stains on the bar top and floor. The wall was covered in panels of mirrors that had fogged up in the frozen air, which was the only reason she noticed the single handprint that the cold hadn't quite covered on the only floor-to-ceiling mirror. Without hesitation, she reached out and placed her bare hand over the mark. At first, the glass was just as cold as the rest of the room. But after a few seconds, it began to heat up under her skin. She felt a swirl of blistering heat, and snapped her hand back, cursing under her breath. And as she watched, the panel slid aside, revealing a dark, empty tunnel with a set of stairs leading down into the depths of the earth.

"Uh... Ian?" she called, and he rushed to her side, staring into the hole in the wall.

"Good job, love," he murmured, and for some ridiculous, unknown reason, Amy blushed at the use of the pet name, reminded of their short conversation in the van.

_"Did you find it?"_ Sinead's voice asked.

"Yeah," Amy said, her voice wavering. "We're going in."

_"Be careful."_

They stepped through the wall and the panel slid shut behind them, and they were plunged into complete darkness.

"Well, I was going to say that was too easy," Ian began, "But now that I think about it, I'd rather be stuck up there with the light on."

Amy could think of nothing better to do than laugh as she gripped Ian's arm tightly, and they moved down the stairs cautiously. Amy used an outstretched hand to guide them, and when she saw the last step, it was like seeing the light at the end of the tunnel - literally. Dozens of fluorescent lights lined the ceiling up ahead, and the further down the moved, the closer to the brightness they came.

And finally, emerged in light, they saw a long corridor that curved left at the end. Along the walls on either side were a dozen doors. Ian tried the first one, and it opened into a bland room with no furniture apart from a table and two chairs. One wall was taken up by a long mirror, and when they checked the next room, they realised it was one-way glass.

"Interrogation center," Ian stated, confirming his theory.

Amy cast a cautious glance around the room. "Somehow, I'd imagined it would be more..."

"Electric chair and operating table?" Ian suggested.

"Medieval," Amy corrected.

They moved on, checking room after room but coming up empty. There was no sign that anyone had been there recently, not a single footstep upsetting the thick layers of dust. Of course, that may have been because there was _no_ dust, which only made the place seem more threatening.

When they reached the last door before the corridor changed directions, Amy was surprised when she couldn't open it. The other doors had all been unlocked, beckoning for them to enter.

"Stand back," Ian said, pulling a shotgun out of his belt. He aimed at the lock and fired, and the sound blasted Amy's eardrums and echoed through the empty hall.

_"What was that?"_ Sinead asked through the comms.

"Just Ian," Amy assured her. "We're fine."

_"Any luck?"_

"Not yet. But we've found our first locked door."

Amy heard Sinead's sharp intake of breath. _"Watch where you're going,"_ she warned. Her tone had a finality to it, and Amy didn't bother to reply.

"Ready?" Ian asked quietly.

Amy nodded, pulling out a gun of her own, holding in her had unsurely. She'd never used on gun on someone before. She'd only practiced on a target. This was the first time she might have to shoot under pressure.

Ian pushed the door open, and let out a cry of relief, rushing forwards. At the far end of the room was Natalie, Dan, and Ned, all gagged and tied to chairs. Amy followed Ian, relief washing over her, but was stopped short when she ran into his back.

"It's a window," Ian growled, punching the invisible wall between them and their siblings.

"That it is."

Amy whirled around and came face-to face with Isabel and Vikram Kabra. They stood guarding the door, blocking their only means of escape, and when the window showing their siblings turned blank, fear pounded through Amy's veins.

"Hello, Ian," Isabel purred. "How lovely to see you again."

Ian glared at Isabel. "Let them go," he demanded.

Isabel's laugh was like a thousand ice-cold daggers. "Now why would I do that?"

Ian took a step forwards, but Vikram silently lifted a gun, and Ian stopped.

Then a burst of static rang through Amy's ears, and she cringed, holding a hand to the side of her face.

"Sinead?" she asked, but her only reply was a harsh crackling, and she pulled out the earpiece.

"Signal jammer," Isabel said with a smirk, waving what looked like the world's first cellphone, only much smaller.

_Great,_ Amy thought bitterly. _I'm stuck in a room with the craziest people on earth, and I can't even call for back up._

* * *

"Why have you taken them?" Ian asked. "What is it you want?"

Vikram grinned at his son. "Isn't that obvious, Ian? I thought we'd raised you better."

"If you asked me, I'd say you did a terrible job at parenting. But of course, you couldn't care less." Ian's voice dripped with sarcasm.

"Hardly," Isabel agreed. "Now, let's get down to business."

"And what's that?"

Isabel rolled her eyes. They way she looked at Ian - it was as though she were seeing an unintelligent animal in his place, and that she were sick of trying to make him understand what she wanted. "Revenge, of course," Isabel said simply. "I want to see you pathetic excuses for Kabras pay for betraying me. And I want to watch the _peasants_ suffer for thwarting me."

Amy huffed a bored sigh, although in her mind she was riddled with fear. "You want us to suffer because you lost? That's just bad sportsmanship."

"You got in my way, and I was therefore sidetracked," Isabel stated with an even voice. "You needed to be eliminated, and that was a pointless distraction, trying to get rid of you vermin."

"And now you can _burn_ like your parents," Vikram added with a snarl.

Ian lunged forwards, knocking the gun out of Vikram's hand, and he punched him squarely in the nose. But his father had always had thick bones, and he barely heard a crack. Before he could lash out again, a cold arm slithered around his neck and jerked his head back. Isabel dragged him across the room, along the grey concrete floor. From the corner of his eye, he saw Amy take flight and grab for the gun at Vikram's feet. She snatched it from the ground and turned it towards Isabel, who only tightened her grip on Ian, squeezing his throat until he could no longer breath. He struggled, trying to pry her arm away, and she loosened her grip only slightly.

"I'm only letting you live so you can watch her die," Isabel hissed into his ear. "Then I'll kill you. I'll save you for last."

Ian took as deep a breath as he could and threw his head back with all the force he could muster, hitting Isabel squarely in the face. She let him go and howled, cursing him in a dozen different languages.

"You wretched little brat!" she growled, like lips drawing back over her teeth like a vicious dog. She reached out and grabbed his throat, squeezing as hard as she could. His face turned red and he gasped for air, but Isabel only smiled maliciously, as though she enjoyed watching him struggle. But once again, she released him from her hold and spun him back around, pushing him to his knees and holding him in another headlock, careful to keep her face out of his reach.

Ian was forced to watch as Vikram kicked Amy in the stomach, and he struggled with all his might, trying to reach her, to protect her. His heart clenched when Vikram drew a knife and slashed her across the face, leaving a great red gash in it's wake, bright red blood dripping down her face, around her jaw, down the side of her neck.

"What a lovely shade of red," Isabel murmured, toying with Ian's emotions. But he refused to react. He only stared ahead, the contents of his stomach threatening to spill from his mouth.

Amy barely noticed the cut on her cheek. She swung her arm around and clipped the side of Vikram's head. And even though she knew it wasn't enough, she couldn't help but feel satisfied with herself. Then she lifted her knee and smashed it as hard as she could into his groin, but he barely seemed to flinch. Instead he raised his hand and held the blade against her chest, and she froze.

"No!" Ian yelled, and Isabel cackled with mirth.

"You should've listened when I told you that love is weakness," Isabel laughed. "But I suppose you'll have to learn the hard way, won't you?"

Ian bit down on Isabel's hand, and she shrieked, blood pooling down her wrist.

"Oh, I've had enough!" she wailed. "Shoot him, Vikram!"

Vikram shoved Amy backwards, and she flew across the room, hitting the wall with a sickening _CRACK_. Ian let out a cry, and fought against his restraints, but Vikram had already raised the gun and aimed right at the center of Ian's forehead. He cocked the gun, and poised his finger over the trigger.

"Goodbye, son," Vikram said, smiling. Then he pulled the trigger.

Kabras never missed their targets; they always hit where they'd planned. So when Ian managed to duck out of the way, the bullet embedded itself in Isabel's heart, right where Ian's head had been seconds before. Vikram hadn't missed; the target had simply changed.

"No!" the Kabra yelled, rushing forwards, shoving Ian out of the way. "Isabel!"

Blood stained Isabel's white blouse, spreading rapidly until her entire front was covered. Vikram pressed a hand to her chest, but she pushed it away and gripped his shirt.

"Get them," she snarled. And a moment later, she went limp, the life gone from her eyes.

Vikram shot to his feet and spun to face his son. Without a word, he lunged, throwing punch after punch. Ian did the same, ducking when he could, but receiving numerous sufficient blows to the side and in his stomach. He brought his fist up and clipped his father under the chin, then brought his elbow back down, forcing it into his skull with a single sharp movement. But Vikram was unfazed, and he knocked Ian's legs out from under him with a fluid kick. He loomed over his son, once again pulling out his dagger, and he lodged it in Ian's shoulder. Ian heard the scraping of metal on bone, and gritted his teeth, holding back a cry of pain. But it was there, like fire under his flesh, burning a hole in his arm. And Vikram left the blade in his shoulder, where it seemed to grind his bones to ash.

"_Weakling,_" Vikram spat, wiping the sweat from his brow. He reached into his back pocket and pulled out a gun, holding it to Ian's chest.

"I'm going to kill you, and this time I won't miss," he sneered.

Then the door slammed open, and Vikram's head whipped towards the sound. It was only a moment's distraction, but it was all Ian needed. He ripped the knife out of his shoulder with his uninjured arm and thrust it upwards. It made its mark, embedding itself into Vikram's abdomen, and blood pooled down Ian's arm.

When Ian clambered to his feet, pushing his father's body of him, he held the knife up. It glimmered with thick, red blood, and his stomach churned. He dropped the knife, staring at his blood-smeared hands in shock. _What have I done?_

He studied his own hands with fear, and then looked down at the body at his feet. He scampered back, hastily wiping his hands on his shirt, trying to clean them.

_I'm a murderer_, he thought. _I'm just like them_.

He legs buckled beneath his weight and he collapsed to his knees, his shoulders shaking. He could barely breathe. It felt like his mother still had a grip around his throat, choking the life out of him. And he wished she had killed him then and there. That way he would never have done this.

"Ian," Amy's voice rang in his ears, and her face appeared before him.

"I-" his voice broke off.

"You're hurt," Amy whispered. "Let me fix it."

He shook his head. "No. I deserve it."

A tear fell down Amy's cheek, and Ian remembered the gash on her face. He raised his hand and wiped it with his thumb.

"You're hurt, too," he told her. "You're more important."

"Ian, you had no choice. He would've killed you."

Ian said nothing, just stared at her. He couldn't feel his shoulder anymore. The pain had numbed, the wound turned to ice.

"I killed him," Ian croaked.

Amy cradled his head against her chest, holding him close. Over the metallic tang of blood, he could smell _her_, and it sent a shiver down his spine. She didn't tell him everything would be okay. She didn't try to comfort him with false ideals and fake reassurances. She simply whispered, "I'm here," into his hair, and it somehow made all the difference.

He allowed himself to cry, just this one time. He didn't care who watched. The dead or the living, none of them mattered at that moment. None of them meant anything to him; none of them but Amy. Because she was there, holding him, stroking his hair, accepting what he'd just done to his father. She ignored the blood, and she ignored the scars. And that was all Ian needed at that moment. Because he knew Natalie was safe; Isabel and Vikram weren't a threat anymore. He knew that everyone else was okay, that no one was hurt.

So he let his sobs reverberate through the room, bounce off the walls, pierce the entombing silence. He let himself show weakness. Because he couldn't bring himself to care about his dignity, or his pride, or even his Armani shirt. Only two things were on his mind. The first was that he had killed his own father, that he was covered in the very same blood that ran through his own veins. And that thought filled him with so much self-loathing that it barely left room for his second thought. And that was that he loved Amy. Despite everything that had just happened, he loved her with all of his heart. And it just proved that Isabel had been wrong; love wasn't weakness. It was strength. The strength to move on, to overcome any obstacles, to fight any battles, to see through the hate and find the light once again.

When Ian stopped crying, he gazed up at Amy. "I love you," he said, not caring that his face was streaked with tears and his eyes were red and puffy.

Amy gave him a small smile. "I love you, too."

She kissed him then, softly, gently, reminding him that he was safe. It promised that he was worth it, that there was someone who believed he was a good person. It gave Ian hope once again, and it made him realise that, yes, he had killed his father. But there were worse ways to become a murderer. Protecting someone you loved was a cause Ian wanted to fight for, and although it by no means exonerated him, it gave him a small shred of faith in himself.

When Amy pulled away, she rose to her feet and helped him up, careful to avoid his injured shoulder.

"Let's get out of here," she whispered, gripping his hand. He nodded and gazed around the room one last time. He tried not to think about his parent's bodies. He tried to ignore them, shutting his eyes and skipping over them. But he saw his family standing in the doorway, watching him with concern he wished they wouldn't spare for him.

"Ian!" Natalie cried, racing towards him. She gave him a brief hug, squeezing him reassuringly.

"It's okay," she whispered in his ear. "We'll get through this."

Ian gave her a smile and kissed her forehead. Then together, they walked out of the stronghold as a family, knowing that somehow, they'd manage to piece the puzzle together.


End file.
